Andhra Talk: Is This A Real Bad Time For Congress?

Is 'bad' getting big and shadowing 'good' if any, done by government? Has Satan entered the Congress party? Is the government getting negative feedback from majority sections of people followed by a few grave incidents? What the political analysts say about the present trend of politics? Is the situation at present going to be venom for Congress to lose its power in coming elections?

When asked a few people at random here are the impressions collected a few hours after the incident of flyover collapse in Punjagutta.

"If you ask now, the people would be anti-government. The flyover collapse is on the top news today. Adding to that the case of KK's son in the alleged murder of Realtor Prashant Reddy is also on the banner. Anti-Government feelings are all pervasive now. But just wait and ask people after a few months when there is silence everywhere. The feelings will be different. So, what I want to say is the feelings that people carry 4 months before elections will matter for the change of government. It is too early to decide now", said Ajay Sharma, a political analyst.

"It's the worst rule of government. The lava of corruption is erupting every where. The thirst for money of politicians is killing hundreds of people", said Jaya Prakash Narayan of Lok Satta.

Taking a different analysis, Radha Krishna, a political science professor says, "Everything was silent before 2004 elections. Chandrababu met with Alipiri incident and the so called sympathy wave would have been on maximum point if statistics were true. But statistics always say lies as per the adage, 'Lies-Damn Lies Statistics'. We have seen the result. Congress swept everything. So, we cannot analyze anything with this corruption, murders, terrorism etc. Everything is serendipity as per my observation".

That sounds a bit philosophical but some students in a college say, "It's a bad mark on government. People are afraid to come out for various reasons-be it terrorism or with the incidents like Punjagutta flyover. When people lose security feeling, then nothing stops government from losing the power. But the vote bank lies with government officials, employees and poor people. If they are satisfied by any means before elections, again the winning may be assured. Any way, it is too early to discuss all this".

Mixed and indecisive feelings are making rounds everywhere today in Hyderabad . Let us see how government reacts to all this and how it counters the questions posed by opposition parties.

Realtor shot dead by KK’s son Venkat?

Prashant Reddy a realtor was shot dead in an incident this evening at Jubilee hills in Hyderabd. PCC Chief K Keshava Rao’s son is said to have shot Prashant Reddy. The bullet pierced through Prashant’s brain. Venkat also got himself admitted in Apollo hospital. He is said to be in an unconscious stage. Police are not saying anything about the incident. The revolver however belongs to Venkat.

Initial repots said that Prashant’s wife had named Venkat as responsible for killing her husband. But she changed her statement a short while later and now says that Prashant might have committed suicide. Land disputes are said to be the reason behind the shootout. Prashant and Venkat are partners but they are reported to have entered into a scuffle after a party this afternoon. Meanwhile K Keshava Rao rushed to Apollo hospital a short while ago.

India drops to 6th, Sachin leaps to 12th in ODI chart

India drops to 6th, Tendulkar leaps to 12th in ICC ODI chart

DUBAI: In the wake of the series defeat in England, Team India dropped behind Pakistan to the sixth slot in the LG ICC ODI Championship table with the mild consolation being Sachin Tendulkar's rise to the 12th spot in the batting chart.

The 3-4 defeat in England cost Rahul Dravid's side two rating points in the LG ICC ODI Championship table and though both India and Pakistan sides have 108 points, the latter takes the fifth spot when the ratings are recalculated to three decimal places.

Personally, Tendulkar, however, has a lot to cheer about as he leapfrogs nine rungs to join South African Jacques Kallis in the 12th spot.

The Mumbaikar was India's top run-scorer in the seven-match encounter with 374 runs -- only the Man of the Series Ian Bell, with 422 runs, scored more -- including four half-centuries.

This is Tendulkar's highest position in the rankings since March 2006, when he briefly touched 11th position, and suggests there is plenty left in his batting locker despite media suggestions of impending retirement from one form of the game.

Apart from Tendulkar, India has three other batsmen in the top 20 - Dravid, who has dropped two places during the England series to 15th position, Yuvraj Singh, a non-mover at 18th and the 19th-placed Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Meanwhile, the series win -- England's first victory in a home ODI series since 2003 -- helped Paul Collingwood's side gain three rating points and overtake the West Indies to move to the seventh place. Table topper Australia is five points clear of second-placed South Africa, 21 ahead of India and 24 in front of England.

Among the English batsmen, Bell moved into the top 20 and is just one point short of his best rating, achieved earlier in the ODI series. He is one of two England players in the top 20, along with second-placed Kevin Pietersen, holding steady just behind leader Ricky Ponting of Australia.

In the LG ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers, all-rounder Andrew Flintoff remains Englands highest-ranked player and has climbed five places to 10th position after taking 10 wickets in the four matches he played.

Only one player took more wickets in the series than Flintoff and that was his team-mate James Anderson, and his great form has seen him climb 19 places to break into the top 20 at 14th.

In contrast, Indian pacer Ajit Agarkar, who started the series in 13th position, dropped 12 places, which means India is now without a bowler in the top 20.

Flintoff's excellence with the ball has also seen him rise to the second spot in the LG ICC Player Rankings for ODI all-rounders, overtaking Chris Gayle of the West Indies, Sanath Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka and Kallis in the process.

Flintoff, however, is still some distance behind the leader of that list, South African Shaun Pollock.

Pollock also tops the LG ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers, ahead of Australia's Nathan Bracken and Shane Bond of New Zealand. Below Ponting and Pietersen in the batting table comes the Australia duo of Michael Hussey and Matthew Hayden, together with South Africa captain Graeme Smith.